


A Dumb, Silly Dream

by Shescella



Category: Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Confessions, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:00:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24402433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shescella/pseuds/Shescella
Summary: Cloud hears something calling for him during his sleep, and when he wakes up, he finally gets to see her. [dream sequence]
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife
Comments: 8
Kudos: 130





	A Dumb, Silly Dream

**Author's Note:**

> My version of the dream sequence! This was definitely hard to write for me because I usually write AU's (I tend to stay far away from OG timeline stuff since I'm horrible at meeting the expectations of it), but because one of my readers specially requested this sort of prompt, I wanted to take on the challenge! Only 3k words to write, but one of the hardest 3k words I ever had to write xD This is the best I could do, so hopefully you guys are able to enjoy my take! Thank you, and enjoy :)

His eyes opened in the darkness, mind switched to alertness in an instant despite just stirring from his slumber. Nothing sounded in the estranged guest room—just his breathing and the friction of his clothes as he shifted his back against the wall and lowered his propped knee. No sounds came from beyond the door either. Everyone was asleep—it was just him who scanned the area with his intense, mako eyes.

Nothing sounded.

But his feet moved anyway as he stood up, clicked the door open with a twist of the knob, and met the still air of Elmyra's house.

Something—it was calling for him.

What was it? He didn't know.

But it was something. Something strong enough that moved his legs towards a direction of certainty—of will and want.

When he stepped outside, the gentle, night wind greeted him as his blond locks rustled slightly under its caresses. The vast greenery that met his eyes never failed to astonish him; with the rest of the slums nearly void of such a vibrant color with its dull brown, the home seemed like another world, pulled out from an ancient fairytale.

And just when he thought there was no way that someone like him, someone so calloused and shut-off, could ever enter something as wondrous as a fairytale, his breathing nearly stopped, along with his heartbeat, when his eyes outlined that familiar figure bent over the patch of flowers.

He took one step, and then another, until he found his heart jerked into acceleration with his legs bringing him closer and closer to the one who couldn't possibly be here at the moment.

When there was no mistaking it any longer, his feet finally slowed, and then stilled, until he was standing in front of her, mouth parted open in both relief and disbelief.

"How is this…?"

His eyes then moved to observe the area around them. Mysterious, green light flowed from unknown chasms above the shadows of the canyon, staining the starry, night sky with its luminance. He calmed once he realized what it was.

"Is this a dream?"

The grass below her feet crinkled as Aerith stood up and patted her dress clean of any debris. However, her eyes didn't stop looking forward as she playfully answered, "Maybe. You tell me."

"… Are you okay?"

"Don't I look it?" She smiled as she held up her arms briefly, showing him how she was all in one piece. "I used to live in the Shinra Building, back when I was really little."

He grunted. "Your mom told us."

"Right. So it kinda feels like I've gone back to my childhood home, you know?" She turned to face him, smile still plastered on her face despite the brooding atmosphere. "Honestly, it's not that bad."

Cloud scoffed in disbelief, unable to fathom how she was still able to derive some positivity from this frustrating, possibly life-threatening, situation. Because he couldn't understand her, he couldn't help but be a bit rough with his words. "So what? You wanna stay?"

Aerith stiffened a little bit before she melted into another smile, but the conflict of it all finally showed as her eyebrows bent slightly. "C'mon, Cloud. Don't be silly."

He sighed, not wanting to question her further. Clearly, the two of them held contrasting opinions about the severity of the situation, but nothing could be done now as he held her presence in this dream—a dream that called for him for reasons unknown.

"Your mom's really worried too."

When Aerith looked up in surprise from his words, he wished he had worded it differently.

"'Too'?" The Ancient excitedly took a few steps towards him, causing him to take a hesitant step back. "So you're worried about me?"

"Of course, I am," he instantly confirmed, albeit embarrassed.

Aerith laughed softly, but the usual mirth that encompassed it was gone as her smile became sad. "I'm sorry about that. Really."

She turned her back towards him once more as she took steps forward towards the small cliff at the edge. Cloud followed and took one step forward as well, eyes trailing her gaze as Aerith clasped her hands together. The green, luminescent lights seemed to shine even brighter than before. While beautiful, it was strangely haunting.

"Is that…?"

Aerith kept her pose for a little while longer before she spoke. What she said next unsettled him greatly, something he never thought a cheerful, young woman like her would say so suddenly.

"Everyone dies eventually."

"I suppose."

"So we need to make the most of the time we have—to live our lives the way we wanna live. Every minute… every moment, matters."

He didn't know when his subconscious took total control over his speaking, but "I'll remember that," was what he found himself instantly saying, even though he didn't understand her. He didn't understand where any of this was coming from nor the context behind it, so it surprised him when he slipped the promise out of his mouth so easily.

However, he knew—he knew they were important. Somewhere, along the future, he knew he would need them. For whatever reason or moment, he didn't know, but something deep within his core stirred as Aerith relayed this unusually heavy message onto his shoulders, against his chest, and deep within his being.

He didn't like it.

It felt like she was going away to somewhere far.

"Good," Aerith faced him again. Then, her smile turned into a small frown as hesitance tinged her expression. "So…" She took a breath, not wanting it to all get lost, to tell him whatever she needed to tell him, but she found the words dead in her mouth, eyes slowly becoming downcast as she lost the momentum.

However, Cloud picked it back up for her.

"You need to embrace this moment," and the smallest hint of a smile played at his lips, "Right?"

Aerith's eyes shot back up at him before she nodded.

"I'm glad I met you, Cloud. I really am."

Cloud's ears instantly perked up at the sudden atmosphere change again as he looked at her. If any of the things she said were hesitant before, then the words she spoke next never sounded so determined, truthful, and genuine.

"I'm grateful for all the words we've shared. For all the moments and the memories."

His heart then wrenched inside of him. Why was she sounding like this? Why did she suddenly sound so far away?

She was just right here in front of him, in the flesh and in the—

_Oh._

It was just a dream.

But even if it was just a dumb, silly dream, Cloud had to look away from her deep, green eyes for a second before he regained himself from his tumultuous emotions. He didn't want her to know—to know how his mind tumbled and fumbled because of her.

To know how much his heart became so restless for her with just a simple gaze.

Even if it was just a dumb, silly dream.

However, despite the fluttery feelings that came with each word that she delivered, the dread that pooled at his stomach and filled all the way up to his throat was powerful and ripping, exponentially increasing at a rate that made him almost nauseous. He didn't like it one bit. This entire time—he didn't like it. It didn't feel good for some reason.

He wanted her to stop.

"You've made me more happy than you know."

… _You've made me happy too._

"And I'll always cherish what you've given me."

_But I can give you more._

"But…" Pause. "But whatever happens, you can't fall in love with me."

He let out a sound, and this time, her gaze seared and scorched him as he looked away, a small sigh of shock masked by the cover of frustration escaping his lips. His heartbeat pounded in his ears as his skin started to flush in a heat that was unfamiliar—unfamiliar until he met her.

Love?

But he had just met her two days ago, how could he—how could _she_ say such a thing? Although unexperienced, someone like him at least knew what love encompassed—somewhat. Love wasn't this uncomfortable drumming in his chest. It wasn't the excitement that sparked every time his eyes saw her, every time they touched, even if it was just a subtle hand to help each other up. It wasn't this pain nor anxiety at the thought of being unable to save her either, nor was it this strife that plagued his conscious—or, rather—subconscious—the entire time this dreamed had been running.

It was none of this, because love… love was…

Or…

It was a mistake to let his cool façade slip, to get knocked out momentarily for his true emotions to be revealed, but it was okay. Something like this was easy to put back on, to fix, to—

Cloud gasped when he felt the lightest of touches against his cheek, soft but fleeting. It almost didn't feel real as his eyes glazed over to hers, mind numb as her bittersweet smile stained this dream. Dreams were supposed to be happy, and while his chest rummaged delightfully at the sight of her and the feeling of her touch, something still didn't settle well deep within him.

Frightening.

Why did this dream feel so frightful? So…

Helpless?

It made him feel helpless.

But why?

He was going to save her, definitely, along with Tifa and Barret. There was nothing to be helpless about—they were going to bust Shinra's headquarters, close in on her trail, and save her. It was a lot easier said than done, but they'll manage somehow—they always did. From successfully bombing mako reactors to surviving an entire plate crash, an escapade shouldn't be too high up in the list from everything else.

But some force made him feel like it was something else that impossible—something more. It wasn't this kidnapping—no, it was something else more terrifying, more earth-shattering than a simple kidnapping. This dream—it amplified some sort of belief that no matter how much he ran after her, her figure would never come closer, never come to his.

But she was _right_ here. Dream or no dream.

And as his heart raced underneath her tender touch, so endearing and sweet, that same, bittersweet, regretful smile that splayed across her beautiful features stood blatantly against this moment that was supposed to be drowned in reunion—not some sort of farewell.

"Even if you think you have… it's not real."

His mind didn't think twice to reach out and grab onto her, to hold onto her before she slipped out of his grasp and possibly disappear forever, but when his hand passed through thin air while her physicality dissolved to become bright green particles, he almost laughed at how ridiculous this dream was making him feel.

"Do I have a say in all of this?" he painfully let out, voice nearly cracking as it almost failed to speak up.

Forget all his overthinking from earlier—it was complete blasphemy, an attempt to regain that ridiculous, unwanted normalcy he had before he met her. None of it mattered if it meant her disappearing. If he had to turn into a soft-peeled orange just for her, he'll be one in a heartbeat.

_Just don't go._

It wasn't rocket science—no, not at all.

She never turned back around to face him, the image of her back burning into him like some branding iron, excruciatingly painful yet forever.

"It's almost morning. Time to g—"

"What if I already have?"

She finally turned back to look at him, eyes wide as the green light around her beckoned her to finish her farewell to him already.

"What?"

Cloud clenched his fist tightly as he let it fall to the side, eyes trained intensely on the floor for a second before he looked up at her.

"What if I already have?" he repeated, a bit clearly as he let out a shaky, ragged breath. "Don't tell me what's real or what's not real in a goddamn dream—tell me in person once you _see_ me in person."

_So that I can prove you wrong._

"Cloud—"

"Because it's too late," he blurted out, not wanting to hear anymore of her forlorn, unreachable, _intangible_ words, because none of it meant anything to him—not without her by his side.

_Don't go._

His chest seemed to be wrangled like a rag, twisting and turning in all sorts of directions as he watched her body fade into the green light. In an attempt to keep her anchored here, just a little longer, in this pretend world, he took a step forward and reached out an arm to grab onto her hand, to feel her just one more time, but the same thing simply happened again—it flew right through her body as the wisps of green light taunted him.

"… Cloud, what did I say, hm?" Aerith giggled, but nothing could mask her pain as she watched his attempt to hold onto her again. "None of this is real. All of it is just… our wishes and wants projected as a silly, silly dream. But dream or not, I'm… glad I saw you one last time, Cloud. Really."

"Quit speaking like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you're going somewhere I can't reach," he managed to choke out. "Stop it. Wherever you go, I'm… I'm coming for you."

His words seemed to still her in time, penetrating her in a spot that he didn't know of as she smiled, and finally, a tear slipped down her rosy cheek as a big and bright and sad smile spread across her face, stretching across times that he knew nothing of.

"As much as I want to believe in this… in _us_ , we… cannot deny fate," she softly spoke. She finally turned back around, unable to continue looking at his torn expression any longer. Besides, she needed to go. "I… have to go somewhere far away later, for both our sakes, but I know, Cloud, I _know_ that no matter what, we'll always have our memories, and our—"

"I don't care about this fate stuff you're spouting, and I don't care about what you have to do and where you have to go," he abruptly cut in, tired of listening to her speak about things he didn't understand and things he didn't _want_ to understand. Fate? Memories? To hell with all of that farfetched stuff—he was in control of his own destiny. "No matter how far you're going, I'm going to find you, and bring you back." And then he shook his head, silently apologizing to Elmyra as he willed up the courage to go against her wishes. "I'm bringing you back—tomorrow. And I'm going to show you that… that… this is real."

He slowly took a few more steps towards her, until he was right behind her, so close but yet so far as he reached out a hand. He was too afraid to touch her, to be met with disappointment again at seeing his hand simply slip right through her again.

But no. He could feel it.

"This is real," he finally whispered, voice raw as it finally cracked from all the weight of his swirling emotions. "This is real. You're real… I'm real…

"We're real."

Aerith audibly gasped when she felt arms encircle her waist from behind, real skin and real heat entrapping her in an embrace that nearly made her knees bend and her body collapse. She could hear how Cloud took a sharp intake of breath, breathing her in as he buried his face into the crook of her neck and felt the world around them.

All of it, from the flowers at their feet and the starry, night sky above their heads to his feelings for her, his feelings that she so wrongly denied. They weren't just a figment of his imagination, nor just some sort of false pretense that managed to create itself in the two days since they met each other.

No, it was something else, something quite unexplainable as he held onto her, relishing in finally being able to physically touch her, to win the stupid battle against the green lights. They seemed to bend underneath his will, for none of it gathered around her anymore for the time being as he held onto her, taking in her sweet scent.

Everything—it was _real._

Even if it was just a dumb, silly dream.

"I'm coming for you," repeated Cloud, but this time, his voice was strong and steady—she wasn't going to go away anywhere, not anytime soon. "And you're going to come back. And you're going to see that this," he tightened his grip on her, pulling her flush and close against his chest, "is real."

"Cloud," Aerith broke. Her tears cascaded down her face, managing to land on one of his arms as her face remained downcast. "If… that's what you want, then thank you."

And just like that, their magical moment got dispelled when the green wisps of light returned, and the arms that wrapped around her suddenly hugged the air as she walked right through them, body once again surrounded by the light.

However, before she was completely gone, he reached out his hand one last time, and so did she, and together, their hands interlocked as Aerith smiled through her tears.

"Thank you, Cloud," she said once more, and finally, their dream evaporated into nothingness as Cloud woke back up in the guest room, back leaning against the wall as if he never left.

He let out a rattling breath, heart squeezed as every single moment of the dream felt alive to him, rushing through his veins as morning peeked out through the window.

With one last look at his hand, he balled it up in determination as he stood up to join the footsteps of Tifa and Barret down the stairs.

No matter what, he was going to bring her back, even if he had the entire force of Midgar—and even the Planet—standing in his way.

"I'm coming for you."


End file.
